


The Interrogation Room

by Awkward_Bookworm



Series: Rey and Ben Deserve Better [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ben Solo Needs A Hug, F/M, Finn Being an Asshole, Fix-It, Fluff and Smut, Force-Sensitive Finn (Star Wars), Kylo Ren Redemption, Leia Organa Deserves Better, Leia Organa Ships It, Oral Sex, Poe Dameron Is A Mess, Pre-Trost Arc, Redeemed Ben Solo, Rey Needs A Hug, Reylo - Freeform, Soft Ben Solo, Submissive Kylo Ren, Virgin Ben Solo, Virgin Rey (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:02:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22466128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awkward_Bookworm/pseuds/Awkward_Bookworm
Summary: “I didn’t come here to talk about that,” Kylo said steadily.“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rey said angrily. “What, did you turn yourself in just so you could come talk to me?”He didn’t answer, and Rey realized that was exactly what had happened. She whipped around, paranoid, in case there was someone listening. Turning back, she moved close to his face.“You got caught by us on purpose?” she asked.He seemed to hesitate, and then nodded.[Kylo purposefully gets caught so he can see Rey-- set between TLJ and TROS]
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Rey and Ben Deserve Better [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1617067
Comments: 27
Kudos: 286





	1. Strange Circumstances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After writing The Last Skywalker, I discovered I really enjoy writing Star Wars stories... specifically those about Ben and Rey. So here we are! Let's just pretend like TROS never even happened and enjoy ourselves, ok?

Rey hesitated outside the door. She didn’t understand why she was suddenly so nervous. There’s nothing to worry about, she told herself. I just need to go in there and take the information and go. She took a deep breath and opened the door. 

Kylo Ren was strapped to the interrogation table in some sort of cosmic irony. Rey actually had to stop herself from laughing, remembering their last conversation when she had been on the receiving end of an interrogation. 

He seemed pretty calm, as usual, and this confused and annoyed her. Why was he just lying there letting this happen? He even let them strap him down! Poe stood by the door and waved awkwardly at Rey. 

“Hey. Took you long enough,” he joked. Rey rolled her eyes, clearly unamused. 

“Ren said he would only talk to you,” Poe said seriously, sobering up. “But personally, I say we just do this old-fashioned way,” he chuckled, cracking his knuckles. 

Rey observed some bruises already forming on Kylo’s face and pushed down her anger at both them, for hitting Kylo, and her, for being angry about it in the first place. 

“Poe,” she said, “you just want revenge for how he treated you in your last… interaction.”

Poe stared at her for a moment and then burst into laughter. “Okay, maybe. So we kill two birds with one stone,” he suggested merrily. 

“No, we won’t,” Rey said forcefully, crushing his mood. “Now can you please give us some space so he will actually talk?”

Poe sighed overdramatically. “Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me,” he said. Then he was out the door. 

Finally, they were alone, but the room remained deathly silent. Rey thought about the last time she spoke to Kylo in the Throne Room. They had actually killed Snoke together and even fought on the same side for a few glorious minutes. Rey thought maybe Kylo would turn that day and join her… but things didn’t go her way. She sighed. 

“Kylo,” she said. “Why am I here?”

He flinched when she addressed him by this name. Apparently, he’d grown used to her calling him Ben. Rey told herself that she didn’t care about his pain. A part of her, a very hurt and betrayed part of her, wanted to hurt him just a little bit. 

“I wanted to see you,” he said simply, making her blood boil. 

“Oh, right, you wanted to see me,” she said sarcastically. “It’s not like we’ve been trying to kill each other while fighting on opposing sides of a war for the last few years or anything.” 

She couldn’t seem to stop herself. “But sure, you wanted to see me. Okay, Kylo.”

Kylo’s face was an unreadable stone tablet. But his mood. His thoughts. 

Oh, they were much different. 

He was trying to keep her out, much to her annoyance, and she moved towards the table, placing one hand by his head. She wasn’t sure where all this anger had come from all the sudden. All she knew was he was here, and she was pissed. 

“I’m sorry,” Kylo whispered softly, breaking her thoughts and cutting through her hate like a knife. 

“For what?” she asked, not sure what answer she would get. There were so many things he should be apologizing for. 

“For asking you to do something you’re unable to do,” he said sincerely. Rey was stunned. This wasn’t what she had been expecting. 

“What are you—”

“I shouldn’t have asked you to join me.”

She was floored. So he didn’t want to be with her after all? Was he saying he made a mistake about her and should have killed her instead?

“Listen here, you, you, nerfhearder,” Rey spat angrily.

Kylo’s carefully controlled face struggled for a moment while she was sputtering, trying to think of something mean to say. Then he started laughing, quietly at first, and then harder until his chest shook with it.

Rey stood there speechless until he finally regained control of himself. 

“Rey,” he said, voice light from the laughing fit. “I’m a prince of Alderaan. You know that, right?”

“Nooo,” she said, trying to remain defiant. “You’re Kylo Ren. BEN SOLO is a prince. And it’s just an expression,” she added, slightly embarrassed from his reaction. 

“I think you’re misunderstanding,” Kylo said, looking amused. 

“Well maybe that’s because you suck at communicating!” Rey yelled. “And maybe I don’t care. So why don’t you just tell me where the First Order Star Destroyers are, so we can end this conversation?” 

“I didn’t come here to talk about that,” Kylo said steadily.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rey said angrily. “What, did you turn yourself in just so you could come talk to me?”

He didn’t answer, and Rey realized that was exactly what had happened. She whipped around, paranoid, in case there was someone listening. Turning back, she moved close to his face.

“You got caught by us on purpose?” she asked. 

He seemed to hesitate, and then nodded. 

“What?!” 

Kylo attempted to shrug. 

“I wanted to see you,” he repeated. 

Those words were taking on a whole new meaning now, and Rey wasn’t sure how to respond. 

“Let me get this straight,” she said quietly. “You pretended to get caught just so you could come talk to me?”

Kylo sighed. “Yes, I wanted to apologize first,” he said. 

“This is crazy,” Rey whispered, barely hearing him. 

“But I think you misunderstood my apology,” he continued. 

Half of Rey was tempted to hear him out. She wanted to give him a chance and still thought she could save him. But the other half of her was still pissed and way too proud. 

“I didn’t come here because I wanted your apology. You’re going to tell me where the Finalizer is.”

“Rey.”

“You know I can take what I want,” she said, mimicking him from their first meeting. And before he could react, she placed her hands on his temples and closed her eyes. 

Kylo felt her push into his mind, searching for the information. He briefly considered just giving her what she wanted, but he was worried that once she got it, she would just leave him here. 

So he put up blocks in his mind, and instead pushed back. 

“I know you wanted to take my hand,” he said, voice strained from defending his mind. 

Rey pulled out, breathing heavy. Her eyes were focused, and angry. The anger scared him. He worried he’d already done enough damage to her innocent mind that she was at risk of falling into the Dark Side. 

And somehow, that was the last thing he wanted now. 

“Yes,” she huffed, “but not your hand. I wanted to take Ben’s hand.”

Kylo felt a stab in his chest when she once again differentiated him from Ben Solo. 

“But Rey,” he said gently. He could feel her hope rising as he spoke. “You still can.”

He raised his hand as much as these stupid table straps would let him. At any point he could have used the Force to rip them off, but he had wanted minimum suspicion so he could talk to Rey uninterrupted. And now he needed her trust.

Rey was stunned. “But you’re not him,” she said, confused. 

“I am. After Crait, I realized a few things.”

Rey waited patiently, her anger seemingly all gone. He felt a sense of great relief. 

“Being Supreme Leader is … overrated. It’s not what I wanted after all.”

“But Darth Vader,” she said. 

“Yes,” Kylo interrupted. “I thought I aspired to be another Vader, but once I had control… I realized I still felt empty.”

Rey had moved close, very close, to him, and it was starting to become a distraction. 

“Because I didn’t have you,” he finished. 

“…Ben?” she asked, her voice cracking. 

Kylo nodded. “I shouldn’t have asked you to join me,” he repeated, but this time she hung on his every word, eyes wide and wet. 

“I should have come to you instead,” he admitted. 

Before he knew what was happening, Rey had slammed her mouth into his and covered it with kisses. Ben tried to respond but had forgotten his arms were stuck. With a flick of his wrist, the restraints popped open and he grabbed her by the waist. 

Rey squeaked in surprise and involuntarily stepped back. But she was moving too fast, and Ben grabbed her again before she toppled over, pulling her into his chest. Their faces were inches apart, and this time, Ben opened his mind to her. 

He felt her enter eagerly, checking for the truth of his intentions. 

“Ben,” she said, her eyes softening. “It is you.” 

She caressed his face, and he used all of his strength to control his impulses. 

“They hurt you.” She traced the places where the Rebels had hit him, and he could read from her mind that she was both angry and sad. 

“It doesn’t matter,” he said, wishing she would kiss him again. 

“It does matter, Ben! They—”

She seemed to see inside his mind then, and her face turned bright red. 

Ben swallowed, thinking he should have been more careful. He figured he’d always been more interested in her than she was in him, and maybe his forwardness was too much right now. 

But Rey didn’t pull away, and he realized she was remembering him shirtless. It was his turn to grow red in the face and ears. 

“Kiss me,” Rey whispered, and Ben hesitated. Then he tilted his head forward and kissed her softly. 

“No, Ben,” she pleaded when he pulled back. “Kiss me.”

His face was so hot he almost wished there was a fan in the room. 

He nodded, and this time when their lips touched, he nipped on her lower lip. Rey gasped and opened her mouth for him. He slid his tongue in and felt her hands slide around his chest and grasp the back of his shirt. She pulled him closer, and he deepened the kiss. 

Rey tilted her head to get a better angle and moaned again. Ben felt his pants stiffen, and he found himself guiding her back to that damn table. When she bumped into it, they broke the kiss with a gasp and both Ben and Rey took deep breaths to steady themselves. His eyes focused on her lips, and all he could think about were the wicked things he wanted to do to her now. 

“Rey,” he groaned. “Please.”

She knew what he wanted, and looked around, concerned.

“What if someone comes in?” she said, doubtful.

Ben’s hand flew up and the door handle spun around until it was all twisted and unable to open. Rey’s jaw dropped.

“You broke it!” she exclaimed.

He shrugged. “I’ll fix it later,” he said indifferently. 

Rey took a few deep breaths, and then nodded. She wanted this too, just as much as he did. He flicked his wrist again and the table lay horizontally. Then his hands were on her hips, lifting her up and onto the slab. She winced.

“It’s cold,” she whispered. Ben hesitated, but then she grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him on top of her. This time, she didn’t make Ben beg for entry, and they kissed deeply. Ben put a hand behind her head to make her more comfortable and her hands found their way into his hair and down his back. 

Ben moved his mouth down her jaw next, kissing as much skin as possible. Rey giggled at the sensation. He had dreamed about this so many times and couldn’t believe it was finally happening. And on a stupid Resistance Base no less. 

As he glided his lips along her neck and collarbone, his hips ground against hers, and Rey’s breathing became shallow. Desperate to get closer, he rubbed harder as she parted her legs, and then she started moaning. 

Ben wasn’t sure how much longer he could handle it. He had really wanted to take his time with her, but she was making it hard. He moved his hands down her waist to her hips, still sucking on her neck. And she started murmuring his name. 

Ben’s patience snapped, and he gasped and tried to pull up her shirt, but she grabbed his hands to stop him, shaking her head. 

“Not here,” she said. He raised his eyebrows, and she blushed. “This table is too cold,” she complained, and Ben chuckled. 

“Fine,” he muttered, giving in. Instead, he pulled her shorts down and Rey grabbed his belt, unhooking it and freeing his pants from his hips. She blushed when she saw him revealed, and he knew she was nervous. 

He leaned down and kissed her again, deeply and slowly. “I won’t hurt you,” he promised, whispering in her ear. Rey shivered against him.

She wrapped her legs around his hips, giving him the okay. Ben positioned himself and then slid into her, slowly. He felt the pain that sliced through her body reflected in his mind, and he slowed down to reduce her discomfort. 

The pain didn’t last long though, and as soon as she was ready, Ben began to rock his hips gently, filling her again and again. Rey’s breath hitched as he pumped his hips. Her body was soft and supple, and Ben couldn’t stop himself from groaning as he worked her. 

“ohhh,” Rey whimpered, “that’s good, Ben. Keep doing that…”

Ben was too focused to speak, and instead tried to control his pace and breathing. Her hands were in his hair again, and she pulled him close. Her thighs tightened around him, making her core even tighter, and his thrusts deeper, and Rey began to whine. 

“Aaah, Ben,” she begged. “H—harder!”

He was happy to oblige, pumping harder, and then faster. She moaned his name, and her back arched in bliss. He groaned at the new pace and knew he wouldn’t last much longer. Her hands moved under his shirt and he felt her nails dig into his back. 

“Fuck, Rey,” he grunted. As soon as their eyes met, Ben thrust into her hard, and they came together, both gasping as a wave a pleasure overwhelmed them both. Ben rested his face on her chest and they both tried to catch their breath. 

“That was… wow…” Rey panted. Ben laughed under his breath, and they untangled their bodies. He couldn’t help himself from thinking that he should have turned himself over sooner.

“What are we going to tell everyone?” she asked after they were both dressed. 

“The truth?” he suggested. 

Rey scoffed. “Which part, Ben?” 

“The part where we killed Snoke. Together,” he said. 

Rey rubbed her chin, deep in thought. “I mean, it’ll certainly help,” she mumbled to herself. 

“I have something else,” he added. 

“What?”

Ben grinned. “The location of the First Order and all of their plans, of course.”

Rey grinned back. “Well then, Mr. Solo. There may be hope for you, yet.”

Ben held her face in his hands and kissed her deeply, making her moan quietly. 

“But Ben,” she said, pulling back. “We are going to have to pretend we’re not… together... at least for now.”

Ben sighed. “Yeah, okay. I understand. But you have to make me a promise,” he said.

“What’s that?”

“Next time, we don’t do this on a table? I don’t want to hear any more excuses about being too cold,” he teased. 

Rey’s face burned and she smacked him on the shoulder. “Fine, obviously. It’s not like it was my first choice either,” she said, embarrassed. 

He chuckled. “Good,” he said. “Then I think we have a war to end.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a little fluffy and goofy towards the end, but I had a good time. And I hope you enjoyed too! Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you thought!


	2. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben confront the Rebel leaders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't actually planning on continuing this story because it was only intended to be a one-shot.... but then I thought it kind of had potential. So here we are. I hope you enjoy.

Ben quickly fixed the door and table while Rey paced the room. He ran a hand through his hair and tried peeking into her mind. 

“Ben! No, what are you doing?” she said angrily, stopping her pace and glaring at him. He shrugged his shoulders lightly. 

“Just trying to understand what’s going on,” he said innocently. Rey huffed. 

“What’s going on is I’m worried that even though this should work, that they hate you too much,” she vented. “And maybe they’ll just take what they want and… and…”

Ben grabbed her arm and pulled her against his chest. Immediately she wrapped her arms around him, and they stood still for a long moment. Rey took a few deep breaths and let go. 

“Sorry,” she said. “I’m just really worried about you.”

Ben nodded. “What do you need me to do?” he asked, trying to be helpful. 

“For starters, don’t just pry into my thoughts,” she said, half teasing. “You can just ask, you know?” 

Ben rolled his eyes and Rey smacked him in the arm. He twirled his wrist, extending a finger, asking her to move along. “And?” he said. 

“And I need you to get back on that table.” 

He frowned. “Why?”

“You know why,” she retorted. “If they come in and you’re like this, they’re going to be suspicious!”

He sighed. Kylo Ren would never have done something so humiliating. But this was for Rey, and he wasn’t planning on being Kylo Ren anymore. 

“Fine,” he muttered, and settled on the table. Rey looked shocked, like she couldn’t believe he actually did it without a fight. He stared at her and motioned at the cuffs. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” he asked. 

Sometime later, the door opened again, and several officers shuffled into the room, followed by a quiet and subdued Rey. Ben glanced around uninterestedly. There was that stupid pilot, Dameron, who wanted to beat him up earlier, a few people he didn’t know, and his mother. 

His eyes lingered on Leia and she gave him a small, encouraging smile. Ben’s eyes widened. There was no way she could have forgiven him… 

Behind Rey, someone came barreling into the room. Everyone turned to look, and the man stopped abruptly, catching his breath as the door shut behind him. 

“Hey man,” Dameron said, “you can’t really be here,” he continued awkwardly. The man looked so familiar… he was…. 

“Ah, the stormtrooper, FN-2187,” Ben answered himself, thinking out loud. The last time they’d met, Ben had beaten him down with his lightsaber on Starkiller Base. 

Rey caught his eye and shook her head adamantly. Whoops. Now everyone was looking at Ben. 

“My name is FINN, you rotten piece of—”

“Whoa, whoa, there friend,” Dameron said, grabbing the guy. “Let’s settle down, okay?” He had to grab FN-2187 aggressively, because it seemed like he would attack any second. 

Ben was tempted to taunt the ex-stormtrooper but remembered Rey’s look of warning and knew this wasn’t the time nor place. He pursed his lips. Finn ripped himself free from Poe and looked around, bewildered. 

“Why are you all just standing there??” he exclaimed. “He’s a mass murderer! He shouldn’t be strapped to a table; he should be executed!” 

Dameron and Rey shared a look, and then he grabbed one arm while she got the other. 

“You need to go,” Rey hissed, angrily. 

“I actually agree,” Dameron said with a trace of humor. Could this man ever be serious? 

The Stormtrooper yelled but they managed to drag him out of the room. Ben expected them to come right back, but they didn’t. Leia looked at Ben pointedly. 

“Rey says that you’ve come to betray the First Order.” 

Ben didn’t know how he was supposed to just have a normal conversation with her right now, like he hadn’t killed his own Father, her husband. There was a knot in his throat, and no matter how many times he swallowed, it wouldn’t go away. So instead of answering, he just nodded instead. 

The other generals looked at each other and Leia took a step forward. Her face was drawn and pale. 

“Why now? Are you renouncing your former title as well?”

He nodded again, not knowing how to answer. 

“You need to speak to us if you want to be taken seriously,” one of the generals demanded. Ben glanced at him and then back at his mother. 

“I am renouncing my title as Supreme Leader and Kylo Ren,” he said, “and am willing to offer any information I have that will help the Rebels defeat the First Order.”

“What do you want in return?” asked Leia softly. 

“All I ask in return is a pardon from execution or imprisonment.”

Was this too big of a request? They huddled together, whispering furiously. Just then the door banged open again, but it was only Rey and Dameron. 

“What’d we miss?” asked the pilot. Rey looked at Ben and he shook his head. 

“We’re open to a pardon on execution,” said one of the generals, “but we need more time to discuss whether we can offer you no imprisonment. You’ve done some horrific things.”

Honestly, Ben wasn’t even surprised. Rey, on the other hand… She moved forward with purpose and stood in front of him defensively. 

“Be— Kylo is offering to give us an end to this war that’s been waging for so long,” she said passionately, stumbling over his name. “And like I already told you,” she added. “He’s the one who actually killed Snoke! Since then, he hasn’t even come after us,” she insisted. 

“Actually,” said Dameron, “he killed a whole bunch of us while we fled to Crait… or do you not remember?” 

Rey flinched. “That was…” 

“That was General Hux,” said Ben. “While he fired on your people, I was with Rey. Killing Snoke.”

The muttering started again amongst the generals. Finally, they quieted down and Leia sighed. 

“Your information is invaluable to us,” she said. “And with an advocate like Rey, we are inclined to believe what you say is true. Therefore—”  
“Woah, wait,” said Dameron. “Really?? We’re really doing this?” He gestured angrily at Ben. “With KYLO REN? He’s a total monster!”

Leia ignored him and Ben could feel Rey’s anger coming off in waves. 

“Therefore,” Leia continued, looking deliberately at Dameron, “we will accept your request. If you give us what we need to end this war, then we will neither execute nor imprison you.”

The room was silent. 

“However, you will be forbidden from participating in politics or government of any kind,” she said.

Dameron kicked the wall. “I can’t believe this,” he growled, exiting the room loudly. 

“And finally, you are not permitted to travel alone while on this base. You need an escort at all times.”

Rey raised her hand quickly. “I would be honored to keep an eye on him, Master.”

The generals all nodded their approval and left the room, all except for Leia. She moved close to Ben and brushed some of the hair away from his face tenderly. Then she unlatched his cuffs and pulled him into a tight embrace. Ben was shocked and almost forgot to return the hug. 

“Don’t you hate me?” he croaked. Leia pulled back, holding his shoulders firmly. 

“Hate you? How could I? You are my son,” she declared. 

“But I… I killed so many people,” he said, voice breaking. “Even D—Dad.”

“Ben,” Leia explained calmly. “Your Father would forgive you. All he wanted was to bring you home. If that means giving his life, he would gladly do it again. We both love you and just wanted you back.”

Ben’s face cracked, and he pulled her back into a hug, tears streaming down his cheeks. 

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” he said over and over again. Leia smiled and patted him on the back as Rey watched, her mouth agape. 

When he got a grip, Ben let his mother go, and she left the room quietly. Ben wiped his face with the back of his arm and looked at Rey as though he’d forgotten she was there. 

“Ben,” she said comfortingly. 

His face was red, wishing she hadn’t just seen all of that. He cleared his throat. 

“So now what?” he asked. She took his hand, squeezing it reassuringly, and they left the room. Ben allowed Rey to pull him down the hall, but as they approached an intersecting hallway, they heard voices and footsteps. Rey dropped his hand and took a step away. 

Ben missed her warmth right away but knew she wanted to put on a show until it was okay for them to do things like hold hands. It still made him feel like shit though, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets. 

The Rebels came around the corner and froze. Ben stopped walking too, and Rey grabbed his sleeve authoritatively, pulling him forward. 

“I—Isn’t that Kylo Ren?” one of them stuttered. 

Ben grimaced as they passed the group and turned into the next hallway. For a moment he wondered if this was all worth it. Even if the generals didn’t execute him, there would always be people who hated him trying to assassinate him. He could never live a normal life. 

Rey stopped at a door and put her hand on the handle as a voice came on over the speaker system. She paused, listening. 

“Good Afternoon. This message applies to everyone on the base. We are holding a mandatory briefing in thirty minutes in the main conference room. Everyone must be in attendance. I repeat, everyone will meet for a mandatory briefing in the conference room in thirty minutes. That is all. Thank you.” 

Rey turned the knob and opened the door, pushing him into the room. Ben looked around curiously. He appeared to be in her personal quarters. There were trinkets everywhere, her multi-purpose staff, some books and journals, and clothes spread haphazardly across the bed. 

Rey flushed and grabbed them quickly, stuffing them in a hamper by her desk. She tidied the room, but Ben didn’t really care. He liked observing how she was naturally when she was comfortable. They hadn’t had many chances to be comfortable around each other yet. 

“I wouldn’t have guessed that you’d be messy,” he teased, knowing it would irk her. Rey scowled at him and threw a shoe at his face. 

He barely dodged, and his eyes widened. He hadn’t expected such a strong reaction. He channeled the Force, and Rey’s feet lifted off the ground. With minimal effort, he pulled her to him, catching her in his arms. She yelped in surprise and tried to pull away. 

“I was just teasing you, Rey,” he growled into her ear, holding her close. “Calm down.”

Rey stopped resisting and let her arms hang limply until he let her go. She was frowning. 

“How can you joke at a time like this?” she asked, trying to take his advice. “How can you be calm right now?”

“We’ve gotten this far, haven’t we?” he asked. “The Force has pulled us together and brought me to you.”

Rey scrutinized his face curiously. 

“I’m a little older than you, Rey. Trust me when I say there is no point in stressing over everything all at once.”

She blushed and rolled her eyes. “Whatever, fine,” she said. 

Ben reached out again and held her hips, pulling her close. This time she didn’t pull away. He leaned forward, dipping his head to her height, and kissed her on the forehead. Rey stared at him expectantly, but he wanted her to make the first move. He was willing to do anything she wanted.

She became impatient and he pulled back, forcing her to stand on her tiptoes. She cupped his cheeks in her hands and kissed him affectionately. He let her push her tongue into his mouth, and she made a low moaning sound. 

Her hands traveled down his shirt, and she gripped it, pulling him down, closer. Ben tilted his head to get better access to her mouth and she responded by deepening the kiss and pushing him into a chair.

Ben’s eyes were wide as she straddled him, kissing him again as she ran her fingers through his hair. Then she broke the kiss and moved on to his neck and collarbone, her hands skimming his waist. She began pulling up his shirt. 

“Ahhh Rey,” he gasped, feeling her hands under his shirt on his stomach, then his chest. He hadn’t expected her to be so… forward. She grabbed his shirt hem and pulled it over his head, leaving his chest bare. 

“You said not to stress,” she said defensively. He nodded, biting his lip. Her position in his lap was rather dangerous, but he forced himself to sit still and let her lead. She shifted her weight, leaning forward, and he groaned at the pressure on his groin. 

Rey nibbled on his lower lip and kissed him again, agonizingly. Then she pulled back and appreciated the effect she’d wrought on him. His cheeks were rosy, and his chest was heaving. Everywhere she touched him was electrified. 

Then she hesitated before pulling off her own shirt. She seemed self-conscious, and all he wanted to do right now was make her feel beautiful. He reached up fervently and unwrapped her chest wrappings, leaving her torso bare. She seemed unable to make eye contact, so Ben leaned forward and kissed her neck, pulling her closer as he did. 

She sighed pleasantly, and he moved down to her breasts. She squeaked when he took one in his mouth and began sucking. He felt her hands in his hair again, and he twirled he tongue around and switched to the other breast. 

Rey groaned quietly and ground her hips against his lap, causing him to harden and gasp at the sudden attack. He sat back and tugged at the hem of her pants questioningly. Rey blushed in response and nodded, standing up and pulling them off. He tried to stand too, but she pushed him back into the chair. 

“Not yet,” she whispered. Her ears were tomato red, but her embarrassment didn’t stop her from pulling his pants off too, followed by his underwear, and kneeling between his legs. 

She wouldn’t. 

When she touched him, Ben’s muscles tightened, and he used every ounce of his self-control to remain sitting. She stroked his erection experimentally before taking him into her mouth. He clenched his teeth and swung his head backwards, muffling a cry, and resting his head on the chair. 

His whole body was on fire, but Rey had no mercy. She ran her teeth over his shaft and Ben moaned. Then she started licking and sucking until she had him gasping and sighing her name. He would do anything for her. His hips rocked against her mouth, and Rey pulled back, leaving him unfulfilled and burning all over. 

She stood up, pulling him up by his hands, and kissed him. Ben sighed into the kiss and she led him submissively to her bed, pushing him down urgently. She mounted him, running the pads of her fingers down his chest, before sliding onto his already throbbing cock. 

He let out an unintelligible cry as she sunk down on him and pulled his knees up without thinking, brushing against her rear. 

“Reyyy,” he stammered, unable to think straight. 

Rey gasped and leaned forward, adjusting the angle, and began to pump her hips against him. She closed her eyes and moaned his name. Ben stroked her thighs and chest as she rode him, making her sigh. 

He propped himself up and kissed her, forcing her to slow down a little. He bit her lip, sliding his tongue inside, and Rey responded eagerly, running her hands down his back. She tipped him back onto the bed and lay on his chest. He began to grind against her from below, and Rey whined in pleasure, closing her eyes as he took control. 

Ben grinned seductively and tossed her over on her back, making her squeal. Before she could complain, he kissed her again and dragged her arms over her head by the wrists. Her breath hitched. 

“Ben?” she inhaled. 

Ben held her wrists down and leaned forward. He began with slow, lazy thrusts, and Rey whimpered, her back arching. 

“Ugh, faster,” she begged. 

Ben’s mouth twitched. “What?” he asked teasingly. 

She shot him daggers. “Bennn, faster, please!” she pleaded. 

He almost came right there, listening to her beg. Never in his life did he think he would have her at his pleasure like this. He let go of her wrists and placed his hands on either side of her shoulders, gripping the sheets for support. 

Rey grabbed his hips and he began to move harder and faster. Every thrust sent a shock through his body. She moaned his name deliciously, and he was drunk on her. He grinded desperately and knew that neither of them would last much longer. 

Leaning down he almost felt delirious as he kissed her, and she wrapped her legs around his hips as best she could. With a final thrust, he saw stars and a surge of pleasure gripped him. Faintly, he recognized that he had collapsed over Rey, and rolled over so he wouldn’t crush her. The room was silent other than their heavy breathing. 

Rey laid on her side, and Ben rolled over to meet her. She scooted forward and he pulled her into his arms. Her body was still on fire as they cuddled, noses brushing against each other. Ben looked into her eyes and it dawned on him that he was in love with this girl. He swallowed deeply. 

“Rey?” he asked, voice hoarse. She smiled and touched his face lightly. 

“Yes?” she asked in a whisper. 

“How long do we have to pretend we’re not together?” he asked cautiously. 

She frowned but her fingers lingered on his face, making his heart skip.

“Ben,” she said slowly, “it might be a while. But it’s only when we’re around others,” she explained. “It shouldn’t be that bad.”

Ben chewed on his cheek, deliberating before speaking. “It may be harder than you think,” he said finally, not wanting to ruin the mood. 

She brushed her finger over his lips, light as a feather, and he shivered. Rey smiled again and kissed him airily. 

“Maybe,” she said, “but didn’t you say to not worry about everything right now?”

He trembled. She was so pure and innocent. 

Rey scanned his eyes. “What’s wrong, Ben?” she asked, a touch of concern in her voice. 

He shook his head. 

“Please tell me,” she begged. 

“There’s nothing wrong, but…”

Rey waited, her hand resting on his chest over his heart. Her eyes widened when she felt his heartbeat. “But what?”

Should he really say this? They had only been together twice in the course of one day and he was already so whipped. “I love you,” he said urgently. 

Her eyebrows shot up. She nudged his mind with her own thoughts. 

It’s okay. I love you too, she thought. 

Ben’s lip quivered. “Say it,” he begged. “Please.”

Rey gulped. “I love you too,” she confessed, and his heart soared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> B L U S H 
> 
> writing that was kind of intense


	3. Baby Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The road to redemption isn't easy.

Ben woke to a knock on the door. Well, it was more like pounding. He groaned and tightened his arms around Rey, who still lay snug in his embrace. Rey moaned and shifted, slowly waking up. 

She opened her eyes and yawned. “What’s happening?” she asked, bewildered. 

Ben sighed. “I don’t know,” he said blankly. 

“Rey! Open up,” yelled someone from the hallway. “Come on!”

Rey’s eyes widened, and she flew out of bed. Ben sat up to admire the view. She grabbed her pants and pulled them on. Then Ben realized he knew that voice from the hall. 

“Is that… your pilot friend?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. Rey grabbed her wrappings and shirt. She dressed so quickly. 

“You don’t have to say it like that,” she complained.

Ben raised his brows. “Like what?”

“REY!” The pounding on the door intensified. “I know you’re in there!”

“HOLD ON!” she screamed, silencing the pilot. Ben grinned. She turned back on him, her facing changing. 

“Like you hate him,” she continued like nothing had happened. 

Ben pursed his lips, unsure how to break it to her that he did, in fact, hate this man. Rey threaded her hands through her hair to make a half-ponytail and stared at him with her arms still up. 

“Ben,” she said impatiently. “You need to get dressed.”

“Why?” he grumbled. 

Rey gestured at the door. “Oh, okay. Then it’s okay for Poe to see you naked in my bed?”

Ben’s face flushed. She said it so nonchalantly. But even he couldn’t believe that he was actually here, in her room, her bed. That she had accepted him and wanted him here was more than he could have ever hoped for. 

“What’s taking so long?” asked Dameron, although his voice was timider now. 

“Ben, hurry,” Rey hissed. Ben frowned as she pulled him up by his hands. He found his pants and pulled them on. Rey reddened but didn’t look away. He felt his chest swell, knowing that she was so attracted to him. 

She handed him his shirt, and he slipped it on, running a hand through his hair for good measure. Then Rey took a calming breath and opened the door. Dameron looked pissed, but he tried to play it cool. 

“Didn’t you hear the announcement?” he said. “There’s a mandatory meeting, and you’re very late.”

Rey shrugged. “I thought they were just going to explain the situation with Ben,” she said. “I didn’t think we would actually need to be there too.”

Dameron crossed his arms. “So, he’s Ben now, huh?” he said, spitting Ben’s name like it was dirty. Ben shoved his hands in his pockets and clenched his fists to prevent himself from doing something stupid that he’d regret. 

“Let’s not do this right now,” Rey said, her voice low and angry. Dameron shook his head in disbelief and threw up his hands.

“Whatever, Rey. I heard the speech. But he still needs to show his face, so let’s just get this over with,” he spat. Without waiting for them, he turned and lead the way. Rey grabbed Ben’s sleeve and dragged him along. 

“You don’t have to hold onto me like this,” Ben whispered so only she could hear. 

“It’s just optics, Ben. People need to see this, or they won’t trust you. And it’s just the beginning of a long road to earning any trust from people.” 

“What should I do?” he asked. She looked at him, confused. 

“What do you mean?” she replied. 

“How should I act in front of people?” 

Rey stifled a laugh. “Well for a start, try not to look so angry all the time,” she snickered. His eyes widened. 

“Wouldn’t it be weird if I looked happy?” he retorted. Rey sighed. 

“Just keep your head down, okay?” She smiled. “I’ll take care of you.”

“Rey,” he protested. “I’m not a kid. I can take care of myself.”

“Oh, really? And how’s that been working out for you lately?” she teased. He scoffed and looked away. She had a point and it ticked him off. 

“Hey, we’re here,” she muttered. Suddenly he felt anxious. As she pulled him into the room, the muttering began, and everyone looked at him. Instead of looking at his feet or avoiding eye-contact like he knew he probably should, he found himself gazing back into their eyes. It was trained into him from an early age not to show weakness.

Ben studied their expressions. Some of them were scared or confused, others shocked, and then, as he expected, there were the furious rebels like Dameron and FN-2187. Being in a room full of rebels was a strange experience, and he once again wondered if this was all a big mistake. 

Leia stood in front of the crowd, and as they approached, Rey pushed Ben firmly towards her and stopped, forcing him to go alone. Ben walked towards his mother, his whole-body tense, and stood silently next to her. 

She looked at him and gave him an affirming nod. “This is no longer Kylo Ren,” she said with a strong voice. “He is Ben Solo, and he is officially partnering with the Resistance to defeat the First Order.”

The crowd muttered; eyes trained on his every move. 

“As I said before, upon the successful defeat of the Empire, he will receive a pardon due to his actions leading to the death of Supreme Leader Snoke as well as the Empire as a whole.” 

She paused and let it sink in. 

“Therefore, if anyone decides to take revenge, it WILL be treated as assault,” she emphasized, “and there will be punishment as with any other crime. I believe I’m making myself clear.”

Dameron spoke from the side of the room. “And if he doesn’t successfully contribute to the destruction of the Empire?”

Ben held his breath. Leia’s eyes hardened. 

“Then we will reassess the situation upon those circumstances. That is all.”

The crowd slowly dispersed, but not before Ben got a multitude of death glares. He tried to take Rey’s advice and keep a blank face, but it probably didn’t matter. 

“Ben,” Leia said, calling his attention back. “We’re trying to prepare a room for you but there isn’t a lot of space here so it may take some time.”

Unexpectedly, Rey appeared by his side. “Master,” she said, “he can stay with me until you have something ready,” she suggested. 

Leia looked at her suspiciously, and Ben knew she was fighting off a blush. “You know, since I already am supposed to keep an eye on him, it may just be… easier?” she added awkwardly. 

Leia’s eyes twinkled and Ben had a strong suspicion that she was already onto them. “Sure, Rey. I’ll see if I can get you a sleeping bag for him in the meantime. And you’ll know right away when there’s a room available.”

Rey nodded, visibly relieved. Leia began to walk away, but thought better of it and stopped, looking over her shoulder. “Just make sure you get him where he needs to go on time, okay?”

She walked away and Rey’s face burned. “She knows, doesn’t she?”

Ben shrugged. “Knows what? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Rey stomped on his foot and he cringed, reminding himself that she had quite the temper. 

“Let’s go,” she complained, grabbing his arm. Ben allowed himself to be dragged back to her room. She pushed him inside and shut the door quickly. 

“You know,” he said, his voice cocky, “I think you just like manhandling me.” He knew better than saying something like this, but he just couldn’t help it. The way she was pushing and pulling him around was a major, yet unexpected turn-on. 

Rey raised an eyebrow. “Is that right?” she asked. She moved towards him, eyeing him up and down. Ben swallowed hard. He had been expecting her to get angry and yell or throw something. He wasn’t prepared for flirting. 

He backed up on instinct and bumped into the bed. Rey grabbed his shoulders and pushed him down so he was sitting on the side of the mattress. Standing between his legs, she leaned down and pressed her lips to his forehead, giving him a soft kiss. Then she tucked a finger under his chin and tilted his face up. “Or maybe it’s you who likes it,” she suggested breathlessly. 

Her eyes were intense, and Ben struggled to breathe. She kissed his nose before brushing her lips against his. He whined, leaning forward, wondering why he was even letting her control this situation. 

“Rey,” he groaned, “you’re driving me crazy.”

She smiled and then pressed her mouth against his. Ben responded instantly, pulling her into his lap and parting her lips. Rey moaned, angling her face and grasping his shirt, tugging him closer. 

“Ahh, R-rey,” he gasped as the kiss broke. He rolled his hips against hers and moaned. 

A loud knocking on their door shattered the moment and Rey jumped off him, eyes huge. She straightened herself up and opened the door. Ben stood up too and looked over her shoulder. It was the ex-stormtrooper, and he did not look happy. 

“Finn,” Rey said carefully. She seemed to be torn between wanting to hug him and backing off at the same time. 

He didn’t give her the choice, and instead stormed into the room, pushing past Rey, and glaring at Ben. Ben frowned. This was an important moment, and for many reasons, he didn’t want to fuck it up. He swallowed his pride. 

“Hello… Finn,” he managed. 

Finn looked at Rey in disbelief. 

“Rey, we need to talk,” he demanded.


	4. Differing Perspectives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey deal with Finn and other rebels and their pre-conceived notions of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well it's about time we address Finn and his issues.

The room was tense. Finn was standing just a couple feet from Ben, fists clenched and shaking. He jabbed his finger at Ben. “Why are you protecting him?”

Rey looked at Ben, concerned. “Finn,” she said, “one of the things I can do because of the Force is sense other Jedi and feel their emotions. With Ben,” she said, hesitating, “it’s even stronger. I can tell you honestly that he wants to change, and he’s come here to help us.”

Finn took a step back, and Rey followed him cautiously. “No, no, no, you don’t really know him,” he argued. “You haven’t seen what he’s capable of. I worked under him; he’s a monster!”

Rey moved between Ben and Finn and collected her thoughts. Ben could feel how much she wanted to repair this relationship. She didn’t want to hurt him, but there was a good chance that what she was about to say would do some damage. 

“He was a monster,” she admitted. “But everyone can change, Finn.”

“What are you talking about?” he yelled, disbelieving. “I thought you were my friend, Rey!”

Here it comes, Ben thought. 

“If you didn’t believe in second chances, then why are you here?” asked Rey. Finn froze, letting her words sink in. “You may not have killed anyone, but you were a stormtrooper. If someone lost their family to stormtroopers, don’t you think they’d have a hard time forgiving you even though you weren’t directly to blame?”

“That’s not the same,” he said, but his voice had lost its sting. He was considering it. 

“Don’t you think that there are other stormtroopers who would want to turn, like you did? Can they only change if they haven’t killed anyone yet? Maybe they were just too scared before, or didn’t think there was another way…”

Finn sank into her chair and put his head in his hands. “You’re conflating a totally different situation with Kylo Ren,” he said, trying to remain angry, but Rey had definitely given him a lot to think about. 

“But that’s the thing, Finn,” Rey persisted. “I’m really not. For Ben’s whole life, he’s been shaped and molded by Snoke and the Sith. He was almost killed in his sleep by his own Jedi Master! He was scared and confused too,” she argued.

Ben swallowed a lump in his throat and forced himself not to take her hand. Whatever it was that they had, it was different from the standard Force abilities. They were definitely something special. 

“I know you can’t forgive him right now, and no one is asking you to,” she said. “But I hope that you’ll give him the chance to prove himself to you… at least let him try to earn it,” she pleaded. 

“And I AM your friend,” she added. “Please don’t push me away, Finn.”

Finn’s face contorted, and his mind was a mess. Ben scrutinized him. Could he be…?

Finn stood up, suddenly weary. “I need to think about it,” he answered honestly. “I don’t really know what to think right now.”

He turned to go, but Ben moved forward, standing in between him and the door. He figured this needed to be done, and it might as well be now. 

“Finn,” he said again. “She’s right. I’m not asking you to forgive me, but I have something to add.”

He could feel Finn’s anger, and wondered again if this man was Force Sensitive. He brushed it off for now and took a deep breath. 

“I’m sorry for what happened to you. And I’m sorry for my part in it too. And I… I regret playing a role in The First Order all together. Maybe it doesn’t make a difference to you, but I thought it was important that I apologize to those I’ve hurt.”

“You’ll be making a lot of apologies,” Finn snapped. Ben looked at his feet, and Finn winced. 

“I— you… urgh. Okay, I hear you. I still need time to think,” he sputtered, emotions all over the place. Ben nodded, still looking at his feet, and Finn walked around him and left the room. Instantly, Rey was before him, cradling his face in her hands. 

“That was really strong of you, Ben,” she praised. “Are you okay?” 

He nodded, putting his hands over hers. Rey smiled and it was contagious; he smiled back. She was so full of light, and every time she was around him, he forgot about everything else. His heart swelled, knowing that she was smiling because of him. When was the last time he made anyone smile?

“I love you,” he blurted out without thinking. Rey looked surprised by the sudden confession, and then smiled, laughing. 

“Where did that come from?” she giggled. 

“Rey,” Ben pleaded. She nodded, and pushed her fingers into his hair, making him groan. When she kissed him, time stopped. It was a tender, loving kiss: slow and gentle. 

“I love you too,” she mumbled into his lips, pulling back ever so slightly. 

“I don’t know why,” he said, looking down. “I don’t deserve you.”

Rey scoffed. “Love isn’t about what we deserve, Ben Solo,” she said with conviction. “And if it was, no one would love anyone because we’re all flawed.”

He wasn’t sure he agreed, but he liked her answer. Rey rolled her eyes, feeling his emotions. “You’re so stubborn,” she said, but her voice was affectionate. Rey let him go and he regretted arguing with her. 

“Sorry,” he said. She was amused, so that was good. At least he wasn’t in trouble. 

“It’s fine. Just stop saying stupid things like that,” she insisted. He nodded.

“I’m hungry,” she said. “Why don’t we get some dinner before going to sleep?” 

Rey took his wrist and pulled him down the hall, but every time they heard footsteps, she dropped his hand, much to his disappointment. 

“Rey,” he ventured after a group of scowling rebels passed them. 

“We’re almost there,” she replied. 

Ben pursed his lips, feeling frustrated. Once they got to the mess hall, Rey found them a solitary table and they ate in near silence. The whole meal was uncomfortable. People stared and whispered. If Rey had not been there, fixing her warm hazel eyes on him, he wasn’t sure he could have sat peaceably. 

When they were finally done, she showed him how to clean his tray and where to leave it. Then they were walking through the halls again. Rey didn’t bother holding on to him this time, and he was becoming aggravated. 

Longing for her touch, he quietly slipped his hand into hers and she jumped a little, looking at him with wide eyes. 

“Ben,” she gasped, trying to pull back. “Not here!”

But he wasn’t having it. He tightened his grip and her cheeks bloomed. 

“You’re not going to let go?” she demanded. He shook his head. They heard more footsteps approaching, and she looked at him apprehensively. 

“Don’t be a child,” Rey hissed at him, which, childishly, only made him want to hold on tighter. 

She groaned in annoyance, and before he knew what was happening, she pushed him against the wall. She grabbed his other wrist and slammed it next to his head, pinning him there. The rebels came into view and stopped, chattering amongst themselves. 

Rey looked at them and laughed awkwardly. 

“Nothing to see here,” she said. “Just teaching him a little lesson. He has a lot to learn about being part of the Rebellion, you know?”

They nodded, slightly confused. Ben heard them whispering about him being in trouble and if she could really turn him. Then one, a young girl, spoke up. 

“If anyone can bring Kylo Ren to the light side of the Force, Rey, it’s you!” 

Rey beamed at the girl, and she returned the smile. “Thank you,” Rey said sincerely. “I won’t let you down.”

“I’m not so sure,” an older pilot answered. “I mean look at him. Darkness is all he knows.”

Ben swallowed and Rey clamped her teeth together in an attempt to keep smiling. 

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I can feel the light in him growing. I’ll bring him around. You’ll see,” she promised. The group nodded, looking again at Ben, pinned helplessly to the wall, before moving on. 

“I’m right here, you know,” he said mockingly. “Why is everyone talking about me like I’m not here?” 

Rey glared at him. “Right now, you deserve it,” she answered haughtily. “Stop misbehaving in public.”

Ben felt a heat rush to his neck, and she raised her brows. “Wow,” she muttered, letting him down. “You really do have a kink for being controlled.”

Ben was stunned. He opened his mouth to reply, but she was already walking away. 

“Says who?” he hissed at her while she opened her door. She looked at him with a mischievous smile. 

“Well, for one, the blush rising on your cheeks when I held you to the wall, maybe?”

“That’s…”

“Rey,” called a young man from down the hall. Rey looked around Ben’s shoulder and smiled. 

“Yes?” she asked. The man jogged to meet them, carrying a rolled-up bag of some sorts. 

“General Organa asked me to give this to you,” he said, offering it to her. Rey nodded, smiling, and took the bag. 

“Thank you very much,” she said. He nodded and ran off.

“What’s that?” he asked. 

Rey opened the door and threw it in the corner without a second thought. “It’s your bed,” she answered simply. Ben closed the door and stared at the bag. 

“You expect me to sleep in that?” he asked dubiously. She laughed and sat down on the bed. 

“No, but your mother does.”

Ben raised a brow and Rey patted the spot on the mattress next to her. Ben sat down and she tucked a leg under her thigh to face him. 

“Tomorrow, I think they’re going to expect information from you,” Rey said seriously. Ben nodded. He felt the same, although it was never really explained to him. 

“So,” she said. “What are you going to tell them?”

He shrugged. “Everything I know. Where the Star Destroyers are, what their equipped to do, information about the generals who are in charge, how to strategize, those kinds of things…”

Rey nodded slowly. “We can really win this thing,” she said incredulously. 

Ben smiled. “You know I’ll do anything for you, right?” he asked. 

Rey looked away, red-faced. “You shouldn’t do it for me,” she chided. “You should do it because it’s the right thing to do.”

Ben smirked and nodded. “Okay,” he acquiesced. 

“Ben…” she grumbled. “I’m serious.”

He nodded again, smile widening. “Okay,” he repeated. 

Rey looked irritated. “Ugh, sometimes you make me want to just—”

He raised his brows. “Just what, Rey?”

He felt his heart rate quicken as she eyed him. His mouth was dry. Then she pushed him on his back and his head hit the pillow. She sucked on his neck, causing a low growl to escape from him. Her hands were rough, unbuckling his belt with surprising speed and dexterity. 

She slid her hands under his shirt and moved her mouth to his lips, kissing him roughly. He opened his lips for her tongue and groaned as she ground her hips into his aching crotch. Rey broke the kiss and yanked his shirt off, pausing to appreciate his chest. Ben flushed and tried to catch his breath. 

His skin tingled as she brushed her hands down from his chest to his waist. He bit his tongue and watched her trail a line of kisses down his torso. When she got to his hips, she dragged his pants off slowly, making almost unbearable eye-contact. He may have bitten his tongue a little too hard, because now he was tasting iron in his mouth. Ben opened his mouth and whimpered as she caressed the bulge between his legs. 

“Rey,” he gasped, grabbing the sheets. Rey removed his underwear and kissed his hip.

“Yes, Ben?” she teased. 

“Ungh, Rey, PLEASE,” he begged. 

She must have been impatient too, because he only had to ask once. She licked the underside of his length, making his whole-body shake, before taking him in her mouth. Ben’s head tipped back, and he closed his eyes, hissing in pleasure. 

This time, Rey seemed much more confident as she worked him, using her tongue to tighten and loosen the pressure on his cock as she sucked, head bobbing over him. Ben was aware that he was making embarrassing moans as she pleasured him, but he couldn’t seem to control himself. It was almost an out of body experience. 

He tried to control his hips too, but when Rey got him close, he whimpered and thrust firmly against her. Rey took it as a sign to speed up until he just couldn’t take anymore. The pressure exploded inside him and he cried out as he orgasmed. 

Rey sat up, still straddling him, cheeks red, eyes wide, and brushed her mouth with her arm. Ben sat up a little too fast and felt himself grow dizzy. Rey caught him by the shoulders and giggled. 

“Rey,” he gasped, his voice hoarse. He felt his own cheeks burning. “I didn’t mean to—I’m sorry—”

She put a finger on his lips and somehow, he felt himself growing hard again. “Why are you apologizing?” she asked. “I wanted to.”

Ben nearly choked. “O-oh.” 

He swallowed again and realized she was still fully clothed. That wasn’t fair. He was the only one who got anything out of that experience. Ben flipped Rey on her back and leaned in close. 

“My turn,” he whispered. “Let me make you feel good.” 

Rey stuttered, clearly mortified by his choice of words, and Ben grinned, kissing her. He squeezed her breasts as he explored her mouth, earning lows moans that made him harden even more. 

He tugged off her shirt more slowly than she had undressed him, wanting to make this last. Rey seemed impatient, and she pushed a leg between his, rubbing him forcefully. Ben groaned but was determined to exercise his self-control. He began pulling off her chest wrap, kissing her as he unraveled it. 

Rey withdrew her leg and wrapped her thighs around him. 

“Ahh, Rey, slow down,” he managed between kisses. She shook her head, running her fingernails down his chest.

“I want you,” she panted, and Ben wanted to give her everything. 

“So impatient,” he grumbled. “Fine.”

Her eyes widened as Ben wrenched off her pants and already soaked underwear. He smirked, proud of how wet she already was for him. He stroked her thighs affectionately before moving his hand between her legs. 

Rey grabbed his shoulders, looking uncertain. He kissed her and slid a finger inside her. She moaned into the kiss and arched her back. He began to twirl and apply pressure with his finger before adding another. Rey broke the kiss, panting. 

“OH, BEN!”

He pressed harder, moving his fingers faster until she was bucking against him and begging for more. Rey whined and bit his lower lip as he kissed her. He pulled his hand out of her and adjusted her hips, pulling her down a little to achieve an upward angle. 

“Are you ready?” he asked, already knowing the answer. Rey moaned, grabbing his hair and pulling him close to her face. 

“Ben, y—yes, please,” she stammered. 

“What do you want me to do?” he probed, knowing it would drive her crazy. 

“What?” she gasped. 

Ben locked eyes with her. 

“What… Do… You… Want?” he demanded. 

The flush on her cheeks intensified and she briefly wondered if this was punishment for shoving him against the wall earlier. “I want you in me, NOW,” she pleaded. 

His jaw was rigid, and she knew he was fighting to control himself and not go to town on her. Ben nodded and thrust into her without another moment to spare. Rey almost screamed at the sudden invasion and her hips wracked against his with a spasm as he began grinding into her.

“Aahhh, BEN,” she whined, pulling his face into the crook of her neck. He didn’t seem to mind, and in this position, he was able to make his thrusts deeper. He rolled his hips into hers and Rey gasped and moaned his name. 

She heard him too, repeating her own name into her collarbone. Rey propped her hips up by bending her knees, giving him better access, and Ben bit her shoulder in response, thrusting harder. 

“Ben!” she gasped. He rocked into her over and over, his thrusts coming in unpredictable waves of fast and slow, making her body shudder. “Yes, h-harder,” she begged, not caring anymore how embarrassing she sounded. 

He was happy to comply, speeding up his tempo to match her desire, grunting with every thrust. Desperately, he reached down and gripped her rear with both hands. Using his arms, he pulled her hips directly into his swift pumps, doubling the friction between them, and making her mewl in satisfaction. Ben rested his forehead against hers and they both panted and moaned as they came closer to release.

“Don’t—don’t stop,” Rey breathed, gasping. Ben felt her need for him as his mind mingled with hers. His mouth found hers as he made the final thrusts that sent them both over the edge. Something in them shattered, and their shared climax overcame them, leaving them stunned and breathless. 

Ben crumpled next to Rey and pulled her close, burying his face in her hair. It didn’t take long for sleep to seize them, and Ben slept better than he had in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so that happened. 
> 
> Thoughts about the story so far? I'd love to hear from you guys in a comment!
> 
> I hope you're enjoying the story thus far.


	5. Trust Issues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben deals with the consequences of his actions.

The next few days were a bit of a blur. 

Ben was in rebel headquarters constantly, answering their questions about the Star Destroyers and their capabilities, fleet and troop numbers, First Order plans and strategies, generals, and anything else they could possibly think of. After almost a week of relentless examinations, Ben was tired. But more than anything, he missed Rey. 

She wasn’t exactly high-ranking enough to be a part of all these meetings, and he hated being away from her. And ever since they moved him out of her quarters and into his own room, he’d been even more lonely, forced to sleep alone. Rey was still insisting they keep their relationship hidden until their situation improved, but he wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep this up for.

Currently, the resistance leaders were all sitting around a circular table, Ben included, and discussing their next offensive strategy. He leaned back in his chair, tipping the front legs off the floor, and looked at the ceiling in boredom. He rocked the chair ever so slightly, his feet grazing the floor, wondering if Rey would have eaten yet and what she was doing now. 

“I’m sorry, Solo, are we boring you?” a general asked sarcastically. Ben snapped back into the present and the chair legs slammed into the floor. He looked around. Everyone was staring at him now. 

“Of course not,” he said. “I was just thinking maybe it was time we took action instead of just talking about it.”

Wrong choice of words. Another general sneered at him. 

“So, I suppose you have a plan then?” he condescended. “Or do you want us just blindly sending in our fighters to some impromptu suicide mission?” The last question came off more as a statement, and Ben struggled not to roll his eyes. 

“Well,” he started carefully, hyper aware that not everyone in the room had even come close to trusting or forgiving him, “we’ve been discussing it for days now. I already gave you the location of the Finalizer and a strategic plan for how best to assault it.”

He shrugged. “My recommendation is to consider carrying out that plan.”

Leia stood up as the room erupted into irritated whispers. “Thank you, Ben,” she said, effectively silencing the room. “I believe you have done enough today. We’ll discuss your proposal. You may be dismissed.”

Ben always felt strange when she told him he was ‘dismissed’, like he was a naughty child that needed to get out of the way. He knew she didn’t mean it that way, but it was odd, coming from his mother. 

But he didn’t need to be told twice, and he tipped his chair back as he shot up. He paused, suddenly, thinking he might look too hasty if he hurried out of the room. Nodding to everyone quietly, he controlled his pace and exited without a word. 

Rey was leaning against the wall outside the conference room, armed folded and eyes closed. Ben looked at her closely, head cocked. Was she sleeping? He checked to his right and left before approaching her, leaving only inches between them. Raising his hand slowly, he brushed some strands of hair out of her face and touched her cheek, looking at her lips longingly. 

Rey opened her eyes sleepily, meeting his gaze. “Done already?” she yawned. 

Ben grimaced. “You make it sound brief,” he complained. Rey smiled and stretched her arms. Then, seeming to remember that they were in public, she pushed him back and looked around, paranoid. 

“Ben, I told you not to do this in public,” she chided. He shrugged, looking very much like his father and crossed his arms. 

“How can I resist when you stand around looking like that?” he teased. She narrowed her eyes and shoved his shoulder lightly. 

“You’re more and more like him every day,” she marveled. 

Who? 

He pushed the question into her mind, and Rey smiled. “Han,” she said. 

Ben swallowed deeply, and Rey slid her hand into his. “Now let’s get something to eat,” she said, changing the subject. She pulled him down the empty hall, and Ben held her hand tightly. 

“You better let go if we hear anyone,” she warned him, and he nodded reluctantly. 

But they didn’t encounter anyone and made it to the cafeteria without incident. Rey dropped his hand before entering, and they grabbed some lunch. Ben found an empty table and picked at his food with little interest, choosing instead to focus on Rey. 

“Why are you staring at me, Ben?” she asked self-consciously after a while. 

Rey stared down at her tray and nibbled on some bread. Ben put one elbow on the table and rested his head in his hand, content just to watch her.

“I miss you,” he said simply. She scoffed but was still smiling, clearly flattered. 

“I see you every day,” she countered. Ben frowned. 

“Not enough,” he argued back. 

And I miss you at night too, he thought. Rey looked up, her eyes round. She took a big swig of water and looked around, making Ben grin. 

“It’s not like anyone heard it,” he said, “except for you.”

Rey looked uncomfortable. “Why are you doing this here?” she hissed. “Can’t we talk about it later?” 

Ben raised his brows. As far as I know, we aren’t actually talking about it, he thought, and Rey huffed. 

“You’re the one in my mind,” he said aloud. 

Rey stabbed some of her food and chewed it, glaring at him. 

“Well, don’t you two look happy together?” came an unwelcome voice. 

Behind Rey stood Dameron, looking cocky as usual. Finn was next to him, looking more unhappy than even Rey at the moment, and Ben sat up straight, resting his arm flat on the table. 

“Mind if we join you?” he asked. 

“Yes,” Ben muttered at the same time as Rey answered, “Sure!”

There was an awkward moment of silence, and then Dameron laughed loudly. Rey gave Ben was warning look, and the two men sat on either side of her, making Ben sit rigidly from across the table. Why were the flanking her like this?

Finn looked at Ben steadily but said nothing. 

“So, how’re those meetings going, Ben?” Dameron said, emphasizing his name in some kind of attempt to make Ben feel uncomfortable. Unfortunately for him, Ben didn’t care. He was more annoyed that the pilot was sitting next to Rey. And closely, too. 

“Fine,” he snapped, trying not to sound as angry as he was feeling. From under the table, Rey kicked his shin, causing him to wince. Dameron picked up some of his food and watched Ben carefully as he ate. 

“Really? Because I heard that you made a pitch today,” he said, voice heavily controlled. “And HQ is planning on launching an attack based on your…. recommendations.”

Rey’s attention snapped towards Dameron and her jaw dropped. 

“What?” she said. She whipped her face back towards Ben. “You didn’t… mention that…”

Her voice trailed off and she looked down at her hands. Ben tried to control himself from flinging the pilot across the room using the Force. 

“I gave them a suggestion,” he said tightly. “I didn’t know that they’d made any decisions,” he added, looking desperately at Rey. She wouldn’t meet his eyes though and continued looking at her lap. Ben felt his chest constrict. 

Poe looked at Ben, then Rey, observing them suspiciously. 

“Oh, is that right?” he asked. “Well, I don’t know if it’ll actually happen,” said Dameron. 

Ben couldn’t care less, but Rey looked at him with interest, and he felt a twinge of jealousy. 

“Why’s that?” she asked.

Dameron shrugged and took another bite, exchanging a look with Finn. “Not everyone is convinced your plans can be trusted.”

Rey clenched her fists and said nothing. Finn shifted uncomfortably, and Ben looked away. 

“There are those that think you may be leading us into a trap by the First Order,” Dameron continued when no one asked for elaboration. 

“Well he’s not,” Rey whispered. Finn regarded her with frustration and Dameron rolled his eyes.

“Since when did you have a soft spot for him?” he questioned heatedly. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you two have more going on than just some weird friendship.”

Rey stood up abruptly, eyes flashing. “What are you trying to say, Poe?” she accused. 

Ben shoved some food into his mouth, just wanting this whole thing to pass. But then Dameron stood up too, getting in her face, and Ben’s muscles tightened. 

“You heard me,” he said, his voice loud. “What, do you have a crush on him or something?” 

Rey pushed his chest with both hands. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Poe. BACK. OFF.”

“You’re not denying it,” Poe nearly yelled.

Finn stood up too now, his chair toppling over, and raised his hands defensively. “Hey guys,” he said, “Don’t fight! Let’s just talk this out.”

“No,” said Rey furiously. “He’s being a total ass! Just because I believe Ben doesn’t mean I have a crush, and it doesn’t mean you can make all these accusations, and it definitely doesn’t mean that you even would have the right to ask me such personal questions,” she shouted, turning back on Dameron.

This was escalating too quickly, and Ben knew that if he didn’t do something, it would get out of hand. He didn’t want Rey to do or say anything that she might regret later. He pushed his tray away and stood up loudly, getting everyone’s attention. The whole cafeteria had grown quiet as he looked at the three of them. 

Then he turned around and stalked out of the room. Rey sputtered something about him needing an escort and ran after him. He didn’t slow down, forcing her to catch up with him. 

“Ben, stop!” she called, but he didn’t want to. He got to his quarters and opened the door. Rey followed him in and shut the door. Ben leaned against the wall and covered his face with his hands, breathing deeply. 

“Are you okay?” Rey asked quietly. 

Ben dropped his hands and looked at her. “No,” he said. 

Her lip quivered, and she closed the distance between them, pulling him into a tight hug. At first, Ben didn’t want to respond. He was still upset about how she responded to Dameron’s insinuation, but Rey buried her face in his neck, and Ben gave up. He wrapped his arms around her and sighed. When she let go, he could see all her anger was gone. 

“I’m sorry for getting upset and fighting like that in front of you,” she apologized. 

Ben shook his head and sat on the bed. “That’s not what I’m upset about.”

Rey looked confused, and she sat next to him. “Then why?” she asked. 

“When he asked you how you felt, you got so angry and defensive,” he said. 

“You’re going to have to give me more than that,” Rey pressed gently. 

Ben wasn’t used to explaining his feelings and didn’t want to now either. He looked away, and Rey placed her hand on his thigh. 

“Ben, please?” she prodded. 

He hesitated. “It made me feel like crap, okay?”

Rey flinched, pulling her hand back. 

“And it doesn’t help that they gave me this stupid room and are making me go to all these stupid meetings and I feel like I barely see you anymore, and…”

Rey leaned closer and stroked his arm. Ben looked at her desperately, eyes drifting to her lips. 

“And?”

“And I’m starting to wonder if this was all just a sweet dream. Maybe you don’t really need me. It wouldn’t surprise me. I certainly don’t deserve you.”

He tried to stand up and put some distance between them, but Rey grabbed his shirt, pulling him down on top of her. Ben caught himself, propping himself up by the elbows, and Rey tugged on his shirt, silently asking him to give in. 

And he did, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers. Rey made a funny moan and grabbed the base of his neck, pulling him close. She nipped his lower lip and he allowed her access, groaning as she kissed him. She wrapped a leg around his hips and Ben’s pulse quickened. 

He let Rey flip him on his back, still kissing him, and run her hands through his hair. Finally, she pulled back, still straddling him, and Ben sat up anxiously in case she tried to move away. He grabbed her hips possessively. 

“You’re so dense sometimes,” she whispered into his lips as he pulled her back into his embrace. 

“Rey,” he exhaled. Rey kissed his lips lightly. 

“I’m sorry for overreacting with Poe,” she said. “And I’m even more sorry that I made you feel so horrible,” she added quickly. Ben closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against hers, relishing in the sudden intimacy. 

“And, really, I had no idea you’d be so clingy,” she added with a soft laugh. Ben’s eyes snapped open. 

“Rey,” he warned. “I’m not—”

Rey kissed him again, shutting him up. “Sorry,” she whispered into his lips. “You’re just too easy to tease,” she goaded. Ben sulked in response. Rey considered before speaking next. 

“Look, Ben,” she started, “it’s not easy for me either. I… miss you too,” she admitted, cheeks pink. Ben gazed at her hopefully. 

“So… maybe, I could, you know… just sometimes, mind you… sneak in here at night, and—” 

Ben kissed her eagerly and Rey moaned, knotting her hands in his shirt. He slid her off his lap and settled over her on the mattress, deepening the kiss.

“You have to promise,” he panted between kisses. 

“I promise,” she gasped, dragging him back. 

“And Rey?” he said, pulling back and holding her down. She looked frustrated and impatient. 

“What?” she demanded. 

“Stay with me tonight,” he pleaded. 

Rey swallowed nervously, considering it. Finally, she nodded. “Okay, Ben. Tonight, I’ll stay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, as always, for reading! Have a great day, and maybe leave a comment if you enjoyed :)


	6. Making Progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fight against the First Order commences.

When Ben woke, he felt cold and his arms were empty. He reached out but he was alone in the bed. A sinking feeling filled his gut as he sat up. If she was going to leave in the middle of the night, she should have at least woken him, he thought. 

Not like he would have let her go, but still… 

Ben climbed out of bed and grabbed his discarded clothes from the night before, throwing them in a basket and heading for the shower. As he stepped into the bathroom, his eyes widened. Rey looked up, cheeks flushed from the steam in the room. She was toweling off when he stepped in. 

So, she hadn’t left after all. Ben couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the information, and Rey looked flustered. 

“What?” she asked, unnecessarily defensively. 

“You’re still here,” he said. Comprehension dawned on her face. 

“I wouldn’t just leave like that,” she muttered, using a hand towel to dry her hair and looking away. Ben smirked and stepped forward. Rey cleared her throat awkwardly. 

“Can you get in the shower or get a towel or something?” she said uncomfortably, reminding him of the time she asked him to find ‘a cowl or something’. 

He raised an eyebrow and leaned down to kiss her shoulder. At the same time, he ran his hands lovingly down her arms. 

“Why are you so modest all the sudden?” he teased, lips lingering on her shoulder. 

Rey stuttered incoherently and moved towards the door. Ben sighed, disappointed, and she threw a towel at his face. 

“Just because we’ve… you know… doesn’t mean you should just walk around… naked!” she squeaked, making him chuckle. She closed the door behind her, presumably getting dressed, and Ben turned on the water. 

After washing his hair and letting the water warm him up, Ben toweled off and left the bathroom. He wasn’t expecting her to still be there, but she was, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Ben grabbed some underwear and pants, pulling them on, and sat down on the bed. 

“What, no shirt?” she asked. Ben’s mouth twitched. 

“Do you have a problem with that?” he shot back, playing with her.

Rey rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop her gaze from trailing down his frame, taking a good look. “You’re so difficult,” she muttered under her breath. 

“Listen, Ben,” she said louder, for him to hear, “there’s something we need to talk about.”

Ben narrowed his eyes in anticipation. This didn’t sound good. 

“Do you remember what you said to Finn the other day?” she probed. 

Ben hesitated. He thought he might know where this was going already, and he wasn’t a fan. “I apologized,” he said curtly. Rey nodded, relieved that he wasn’t arguing. 

“Yes, and you also said that it would be good to apologize to the people you’ve hurt,” she nudged. Ben crossed his arms.

“So are we going to apologize to the whole base today?” he asked sarcastically. 

Rey looked frustrated. “Ben, no, don’t be like that. Obviously, I don’t expect you to do something like that,” she whined. He waited patiently for her next words. 

“But maybe… since you two have a personal history… maybe you should consider apologizing to Poe.”

Ben stood up and paced the small room before grabbing a shirt and running a hand through his hair. Rey pushed off the wall and looked at him nervously. 

“It’s okay if you’re not ready,” she explained, backpedaling. Ben groaned and looked at her pleadingly. 

“Rey,” he said, “After yesterday, you really want me to go see that guy?” he asked.

Rey looked torn. “Yesterday he was a total jerk-face,” she admitted. “But those were just words, Ben. You hurt him, physically, remember?”

She was right, but he didn’t have to like it. He moved towards her, pressing his palms against the walls on either side of her and trapping her there. Rey’s eyes widened and he leaned in, kissing her deeply. She rested her hands on his chest and returned the kiss. When he pulled back, they were both panting. 

“If this is what you want,” he said huskily, “then I’ll do it. But Rey, you need to know…”

Rey clutched his shirt, her chin wavering.

“I really, really, don’t like that guy,” he spat. He knew she understood, and he also knew that this jerk was still her friend somehow. Her emotions must be all over the place, he figured. 

Rey looked down, contemplating. “I won’t make you,” she whispered, voice weak. 

Ben’s chest hurt watching her torment. He lifted her chin with a finger, forcing her to look at him. Her eyes were watery. 

“You’re both good men who’ve made mistakes,” she continued, “and I just wish we could all get along peacefully.”

A tear rolled down her face silently and Ben crushed his mouth into hers, their minds connecting as he did. He tried to offer her comfort and support through their link, and she sighed into the kiss. 

“For you,” he gasped, “I’ll try, Rey.”

Rey hugged him tightly, her face nuzzled in his chest. 

“That’s all I’m asking,” she breathed. 

No one came to interrupt them or ask for Ben’s presence in HQ, so he and Rey spent some time together. They were cuddling on the bed when the alarms started going off. She tried to sit up, but he held her tightly, his eyes begging. 

“Ben,” Rey said urgently, “we might be under attack. We need to find out what’s going on,” she reasoned. Ben sighed. He knew a losing fight when he saw one. He let her go, and she shot up and ran to the door. Rey turned around, seeing that he hadn’t moved. “What are you doing?” she said, “please come with me.”

He dragged himself out of bed, irritated at whoever had interrupted their precious time together. Then the alarm stopped, and a message came through the loudspeakers. 

“Please remain calm; we are not under attack.” Ben and Rey exchanged a look. “There will be a briefing in the main hall in five minutes.”

Rey grabbed Ben’s hand and sprinted down the hallway, seemingly not caring who saw. When they arrived, Leia was already speaking. Rey dropped his hand, and instead, held onto his arm tightly. 

“We have both good and bad news,” said Leia, looking composed as always, but Ben could feel her stress under the façade. “The good news is we have just made a successful attack on the First Empire, destroying many of their ships and even damaging their main vessel, the Finalizer.”

She allowed people to react quietly before continuing. 

“But the bad news is the Finalizer managed to get away, despite being impaired. Furthermore, we have lost some heroic freedom fighters today,” she said gravely. “We will hold a memorial for them tonight. In the meantime, please be patient while we decide our next steps. That is all.”

Rey tightened her grip on his arm painfully. “We shouldn’t linger here,” she whispered. 

“I need to talk to my mother,” Ben said, and Rey nodded reluctantly. She pushed her way through the dispersing crowd, pulling him as she went. Leia looked at them solemnly. 

“Master,” Rey said tentatively. “Is there anything we can do?” 

Leia smiled, putting a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “It was a good plan,” she said. “They really didn’t see us coming, and now they’re on the run. Don’t worry. You did well.”

Ben nodded, but his chest was heavy. “I can help you formulate a new strategy,” he offered. 

Leia nodded. “Yes, but not right now. There are some who think you lead them into a trap. You need to give them some time. Actually, right now you should probably go back to your quarters until I call you.” 

Rey nodded, way ahead of her. “I agree. Let’s go, Ben,” she said, pulling him away. 

“Rey,” Ben said, stopping her. “You should check on your friends. You don’t even know if they went or if they’re okay.”

Rey hesitated and then shook her head. “No, I can check after you’re safe,” she argued.

Ben sighed. “I can take care of myself, Rey. Just go check on your friends and then meet me in my quarters if you’re worried.”

He could feel the struggle inside her and smiled encouragingly. “I’ll be fine,” he said. 

Rey huffed and let him go. “Okay, but you go straight there! And I’ll be there as soon as I can,” she said anxiously. He nodded, and she sprinted off. 

Ben started towards his room, and for the first time, he was alone. They still required he be supervised at all times in the halls, but these were special circumstances, he thought. He turned a few corners and was almost there when he heard a couple pilots following him. 

Of course, they were angry. Ben increased his pace ever so slightly, but as he turned the next corner, there were three more guys in front of him. He was being flanked. Ben stopped and stuffed his hands in his pockets defiantly. 

He didn’t want the temptation to hurt anyone. That would only make him look even more guilty. He bit his tongue and waited. The pilots surrounded him and glared contemptuously. 

“You must be happy,” one said. “You managed to get some of us killed without even doing anything.” 

“Or maybe not,” spat another. “After all, you love killing us yourself, don’t you?”

Ben said nothing.

“Oh, he’s too powerful and important to answer people like us,” said a third pilot, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Should we call you Supreme Leader when we address you?”

Ben realized that it might not be possible for him to wait this one out. The bloodlust emanating off these guys was strong, and he would either need to talk his way out, somehow, or take a beating. He grimaced. 

“I’m sorry about what happened to your friends,” he said. 

The pilots looked at each other and then laughed. “You’re sorry? You?” one asked incredulously. “Yeah, right!”

He moved forward and shoved Ben. Ben didn’t bother defending himself and stumbled backwards. 

“Why don’t you just admit it?” the pilot sneered. “You lead those guys into a trap, and now they’re dead!”

“It wasn’t a trap,” Ben replied honestly.

The pilot’s face contorted with hatred and he shoved Ben again. This time, Ben lost his balance and fell to the floor. Don’t fight back; you can’t fight back, he told himself. 

Ben pulled his knees up and rested his arms over his thighs, sitting on the floor. They can’t push you down if you’re already down. “I’m sorry for however I’ve hurt all of you in the past,” Ben said. 

That seemed to be the last straw, and one of the guys kicked Ben in the arm, causing him to tip over. Then they all started kicking him. Ben covered his face with his arms and pulled his knees up to protect his vitals. Don’t fight back. Don’t fight back. 

One of them landed a good hit to the back of his head, and Ben’s vision went black for a solid few seconds. Gasping, he blinked furiously. Then he heard it. 

“HEY!! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!”

It wasn’t Rey… it was… 

The crowd of pilots backed off and someone grabbed Ben by the shoulders, pulling him up into a sitting position. 

“What the FUCK guys?” Finn shouted. “I will DEFINITELY make sure the brass knows about this!”

“He’s fucking KYLO Ren!” one of them retorted. 

“Yeah? Oh yeah?? Would Kylo-Fucking-Ren let you kick him while he’s down?”

They hesitated and looked at each other. 

“No! You would all be DEAD right now! So, get out of here!”

They all scurried off, leaving Finn and Ben alone in the hall. 

Ben groaned and touched his head gingerly. A crack of pain whipped through his body and he felt dizzy. Finn looked genuinely concerned and tried pulling him to his feet. Ben’s legs acted like rubber, and he crumbled as soon as he tried standing.

“Okay, that’s not happening. Cool, okay... Hey, can you hear me?” Finn asked loudly. 

Ben could definitely hear him. Also, there was a ringing in his ear, which he stammered somehow. 

“Fuck, okay, I’m gonna pull you up, man, okay? Just hold onto my shoulder,” he advised. 

Then before Ben was ready, Finn yanked him off the floor and pulled his arm around Finn’s shoulder. Ben grabbed on tightly, and wobbled. 

“Okay, good, I got you. I got you.”

Finn started walking down the hall, heaving Ben up under his other arm. 

“I think I’m going to pass out,” Ben managed to say. 

“No, NO, you better not. Just stay with me, Ben. We’re going to the hospital ward, okay? You can pass out there.”

“Did you just call me Ben?” 

Finn didn’t answer, and Ben couldn’t see his face from this angle. There was an awkward silence as they hobbled down the hall. 

“Why did you let them hit you like that?” Finn asked, breaking the silence. 

Ben groaned and his legs weakened. 

“HEY, don’t do this now!”

Ben pulled down on Finn’s shoulder and regained his balance. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision. “I don’t deserve to fight back,” he said with great effort. “Besides, if I did defend myself, it would look like I was guilty,” he explained. 

Finn seemed to accept this, nodding. “Yeah, I guess. But they really fucked you up, man.”

Ben managed a small laugh and Finn stared at him in wonder. “Maybe I can see, just a little, why she defends you…”

Ben sighed, slumping forward. The last thing he heard was Finn yelling at him to keep it together. 

The first thing he noticed when Ben opened his eyes was the searing pain in his head. Then the rest of his body followed suit, aching, as if he’d been thrown in a trash compactor. He struggled to sit up, groaning. Then Rey was at his side, eyes full of tears, pushing him back down. She must have been there already, waiting for him to wake, he figured. 

“Ben, oh my God, Ben, are you okay?” she spluttered. Her face was blotchy, and he knew she’d been crying. She looked like a total mess. A beautiful mess, his mind corrected him. Ben smiled at her and she covered her mouth, holding in her emotions. 

“What happened to you? Didn’t I tell you to go straight to your quarters?” she scolded. 

“They were waiting for me,” Ben coughed. His whole body hurt, and he closed his eyes. He heard the door open but didn’t really care who it was. 

“Rey,” said Finn sounding relieved.

“Oh, Finn, thank you!” Rey said. “You’re an actual life saver—do you know that?”

Ben opened his eyes in time to see Rey grab Finn and pull him into a tight hug. Finn laughed and looked at Ben. 

“Yeah, I know,” he said. “You should have seen him.”

Rey’s throat tightened. “If I’d been there, none of this would have happened.”

Ben and Finn groaned simultaneously. “Rey, they had a plan and knew what they wanted to do,” said Finn. “You couldn’t have stopped them.”

“I could,” she argued firmly. 

“How?” croaked Ben. “Were you going to cut them down? Or use the Force on them?”

Rey hesitated and Finn nodded. 

“For once, he’s right,” Finn defended. 

“But you chased them off,” Rey said angrily. Finn nodded, resigned. 

“Yeah, I guess. But, Rey, blaming yourself for this is pointless. You couldn’t have known.”

“It’s my fault,” said Ben, causing them both to look at him. “I told you to go, and I don’t blame them for hating me. I was a monster, after all.”

Finn moved towards the bed and looked at Ben closely. “You really mean that,” he said, his voice full of wonder. 

“Yes,” Ben answered. 

“No, I mean, I KNOW you mean it. I can… feel it…”

Rey cocked her head, confused. Ben smiled and closed his eyes. 

“Yes, I’m sure you can.”

“Excuse me?” asked Rey. 

“I’ve suspected for a while now, that you’re Force sensitive, Finn.”

Finn stood up quickly, his eyes wide. “I am, right? I thought so too…”

Ben nodded and Rey grabbed Finn’s arm. “Wait, so does that mean…?”

“I can be a Jedi too?” Finn yelped excitedly. 

“What?” Rey exclaimed, joining into his excitement. 

They grabbed each other’s arms and hopped elatedly. 

“Finn, this is so amazing!” Rey yelled. 

“I know!” he answered. 

Ben snorted. “You two make quite the pair,” he said. They dropped their hands and looked at him. 

“I’m sorry, Ben, I got carried away,” Rey said, her cheeks tinted pink. Finn gave her a funny look, his gaze shifting to Ben. 

“Is there something you guys want to tell me?” Finn prodded suggestively. 

“What? No!” said Rey quickly. 

Ben tried to sit up, and this time, Rey helped him. 

“Look, Finn. There is something,” he said, speaking hastily so Rey couldn’t stop him. Her eyes widened, and he spit it out: “We’re seeing each other.”

“BEN,” she squealed. “NO, we’re really, really not,” she said defensively. 

Finn looked at them both and just laughed, making Rey’s jaw drop. 

“Yeah, okay, that answers a lot of questions,” he said, grasping his stomach. 

“You’re not… you’re not mad?” she asked. 

Finn thought about it for a second. 

“It surprises me too,” he admitted. “But when I saw those guys ganging up on him, and he didn’t even fight to defend himself? I guess I just decided to believe him in that moment…”

Ben swallowed, feeling overcome. 

“I’m not saying I’ve forgiven you,” Finn said quickly, “but I guess I’m willing to believe you want to change. And I’ll give you a chance to try and repent. How’s that sound?”

“Finn… I don’t know what to say,” Rey whispered. Finn looked at Ben, waiting. 

“… Thank you,” Ben said. “I don’t deserve it.”

Finn nodded. “So don’t screw it up,” he said half-jokingly. 

Ben nodded, barely able to reply. “Thanks Finn.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was quite a long entry, but I knew where I wanted it to end and the length just kind of got away from me lol. If you're enjoying the story so far, I'd love to hear some feedback :) See you in the next chapter!!


	7. The Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben plans to finally put an end to everything.

Finn had a lot of questions about their secret relationship that mostly went unanswered, and in the end promised to keep their secret until things cooled down. Everyone agreed it would be safer for both Ben and Rey that way. Rey sat on the hospital bed and took Ben’s hand. 

Finn had turned to leave, his hand on the door, but took another look back. “By the way,” he added. “How long have you guys… you know, been interested in each other?”

Rey looked at her lap nervously and Ben just stared. Finn laughed uncomfortably. “Maybe I don’t want to know,” he said, and then opened the door. Standing in the doorframe was Dameron. Rey jumped up as he entered the room. 

He looked at Finn resolutely. “Didn’t I tell you?” he asked, and Finn pushed his hands in his pockets.

“Do we have to do this now?” he asked quietly. Dameron looked pointedly at Rey. 

“You two are more than just friends, right?” he demanded. No one answered, but Finn and Rey’s guilty faces said everything. “I knew it,” Dameron said. “And I told you so, but you didn’t believe me,” he said to Finn. 

Rey looked at Finn, evidently surprised, and he stared at his shoes. Ben gritted his teeth, remembering what Rey asked of him earlier that day. Finn was one thing; Ben actually kind of liked Finn. But Dameron…. The same could not be said for him. Ben steeled himself and sat up a little straighter.

“Poe,” he said, forcing the unfamiliar name off his tongue. Poe faced him, brows raised. 

“Did you just—?”

“I’m sorry the plan didn’t work out as predicted,” Ben said, ignoring him. There was a contemplative silence while Finn and Rey held their breath. 

“Is that right?” Poe said finally, carefully. 

Ben nodded. “I wanted to help more, but I was told I’m still not trusted by everyone in HQ.”

Poe crossed his arms. “I wonder why,” he said flatly. Ben grimaced. 

“Look, Poe… I need to say something to you.”

Rey was stock still, watching Poe intensely. Finn just looked like he wanted to disappear. 

“I—uh, I should say first that I don’t expect anything from you by saying this…. But I’ve decided it’s something I need to do, so…”

Poe dropped his arms and put his hands on his hips, evidently knowing where this was going. 

“I’m sorry,” Ben finally managed. 

“For what?” Poe pressed somewhat childishly. 

Ben looked down at his lap and played with his fingers anxiously. “First, I guess for taking you hostage and … interrogating you.”

“You mean torturing me,” Poe spat. 

Ben heaved a great sigh. “Yes. And I regret it.”

The silence was heavy while Ben looked for his next words. 

“I’m also sorry for killing your friends, intentionally and unintentionally.”

Poe looked at Finn expectantly. “Did he apologize to you too?” 

Finn nodded wordlessly. 

“And?”

Finn sighed and stood in between Ben and Poe. “I didn’t want to hear it at the time,” Finn admitted. “But I thought about it for a while before I saw him get attacked earlier today. When I watched him take that beating, I knew he meant what he said. I’ve decided to give him a chance, Poe.”

Rey grabbed Finn’s jacket sleeve in support, nodding. Poe looked at Ben again, his expression conflicted. 

“It was a good plan,” he confessed finally. “We had a real shot. I mean, we almost won. So, maybe… it wasn’t a trap.”

Ben locked eyes with Poe. “It wasn’t,” he said firmly, and after a long moment, Poe nodded. 

“Okay,” he said. “I’m going to give you a chance,” he said. “But I still don’t trust you. And I don’t like you either,” he added. Ben almost laughed. He felt very much the same way. 

“Thank you, Poe.”

Poe nodded. “Yeah, okay. Whatever. This is really weird. I’m going to go see General Organa.” He looked at Finn. “You coming?” 

Finn grinned and nodded. “Yeah, man. Let’s go.”

They left the room quickly, and Rey plopped back on the bed next to Ben. Her smile lit up the whole room. She took his hand and stroked it tenderly. “I’m proud of you,” she said. Ben felt a great sense of relief. 

“I love you,” he answered, and Rey laughed. 

“You always confess so unexpectedly, Ben Solo.”

He searched her face and she knew what he wanted to hear. 

“I love you, too,” she said with a sweet smile. Leaning delicately forward, she gave him a soft kiss. “How’s your head?” she asked, grazing his hair with her fingertips.

“Hmm… feels like I fell off a speeder,” he said. Rey flinched, smile fading. 

“Maybe I should call the medic,” she suggested. Ben shrugged.

“I’ve had worse,” he said flippantly. “How long have I been here?”

Rey frowned, clearly displeased with his attitude. “It’s only been a few hours. Your mother came by,” she added. “She couldn’t stay, but she wanted to make sure you’d be okay.”

Ben nodded. “I need to talk to her,” he said. “They will have to act fast now that the Finalizer is on the run.”

“You have a plan?” Rey asked. 

Ben nodded. “Yes. Will you bring her here?”

Rey shook her head quickly. “If you think I’m leaving you alone after this, you’ve got another thing coming,” she said seriously. 

“Rey…”

“No. No way. I will ask someone to bring her here,” she said. 

Ben decided this wasn’t an argument he wanted to have and gave in, nodding. “Fine,” he said. 

Rey went into the hallway and was back in minutes. She brought a medic with her. 

“Someone is going to ask Leia to visit. In the meantime, you need to relax,” she instructed. The medic examined Ben’s head and other minor wounds, applying bacta and medical tape where needed, then leaving. Rey watched while pacing, her arms crossed. 

“I’m sorry for worrying you,” Ben said, reading the room. 

“As long as you know,” she said, but her tone was tender. Ben tried to stand up, grunting in pain. Rey’s eyes widened, and she hurried to help him. 

“What are you doing?” she asked incredulously, attempting to heave him up, her arms under his shoulders. Ben caught his balance, leaned down, and wrapped a hand around the base of her neck, pulling her lips to meet his. Rey clutched his shirt and he deepened the kiss, making her moan quietly. 

“I think I’m going to have to ask for your patience one last time,” he whispered, and Rey looked confused. Before she could ask, though, the door opened. The pair broke apart instantly, and Leia entered the room. 

“Son,” she said, embracing him gently. “Thank you for being okay.”

She rubbed his back lightly in a circular motion, reminding him of when he was a small child. Whenever he was hurt or crying, she would hold him this way until he was okay. It was soothing and always worked on little Ben. Now, he swallowed many times until he regained his composure. They let go, and Leia smiled. 

“I heard that you already have a plan,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “I would expect no less from a Skywalker.” 

Ben wasn’t sure how to feel about that comment and decided to process it later. He nodded. 

“Yes, but I’m not sure you’ll like it. Just hear me out, please.”

Leia nodded and Rey clenched her jaw. 

“Give me an X-WING and let me contact General Hux,” he began. Leia and Rey looked at each other in disbelief. 

“I’m going to convince him that this whole time, I’ve been captured, but managed to steal an aircraft and escape. Once he gives me the location of the Finalizer, I will relay that information to you and lead the way.” He smirked. “They’ll open the boarding gate for me, and then the Resistance can fly in and end this.” 

Rey’s mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding, right?” she asked, voice unsteady. “Do you know how dangerous that would be for you?!”

“Hold on, wait,” said Leia, preventing Ben from answering. “It’s risky, but we don’t have any better ideas… and this could work,” she said slowly. 

“But Master, he’s your son! What if they capture him and don’t believe him? They’ll execute him… or maybe just blow him out of the sky!”

Leia put her hands on Rey’s shoulders, and her next words came calmly, almost motherly. 

“Rey, I know you love him.” Rey’s eyes widened and her breath hitched. “I do too, very much. But as scary as this is, I choose to put my trust in Ben, and in the Force, too.”

Rey looked at her feet, expression wavering. 

“Can you be strong for me today, Rey?”

Rey nodded, her chest heaving softly. “Yes, Master.”

Leia nodded, and pulled Rey into a hug. “It’s hard, I know, but it’ll be okay. I believe that.”

When Rey was calm, Leia turned back to Ben. “You were right. I don’t like this plan, but I do think it will work. We’re putting our trust in you, Ben,” she said.

“Okay,” Ben said. “But it needs to be today. They’ve already gotten a good head start.” 

Leia gave a mixed smile and turned to go. “I’ll have everything ready in an hour,” she said. “Get ready, as much as you can. I love you, son.”

Ben bit back tears, his voice cracking. “I love you too, mom.” 

Leia closed the door and Rey covered her face, groaning into her hands. 

“This is a stupid plan,” she said. “I hate it.”

Ben looked at her pleadingly. “Please trust me, Rey. It’ll be okay. I will come back to you. Nothing can stop that.”

Rey glared at him. “Don’t make that face at me,” she said, voice strangled. 

“Rey…”

“Ughh, that’s cheating,” she whined. Ben reached forward and pulled her close. She fought him for a moment, and then gave up, instead grabbing him desperately. 

“Please be careful,” she said, face buried in his neck, voice breathless. Ben tightened his grip. 

“Nothing could stop me from returning to you, Rey,” he promised again. “I love you with all my heart.”

Rey nodded but wouldn’t let go. 

“Ben?” she asked timidly. 

“Hm?”

“Can you just… hold me? Until it’s time to go?”

Ben smiled, relieved. “Of course."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this is almost over... I'm sort of sad. But endings are just new beginnings 😊 Thanks to everyone for reading the story and I can't wait to hear your thoughts!


	8. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things come to an end.

Rey crossed her arms as Ben climbed into the X-WING. He sat down with a level of awkwardness, never before thinking he would have ridden in such an aircraft. He put his helmet on and raised the visor, looking down at Rey and Leia. 

“As soon as I get the information, I’ll send the signal. That’ll be your cue,” he reminded them. Leia nodded and Rey’s throat tightened. She dug into her arms with her fingers and forced a nod. 

Ben hesitated, hating that he was making her feel so upset and helpless. He pushed into her mind: I love you. I’m coming back, Rey. 

Rey bit back tears, hearing his message loud and clear, and nodded again, this time more powerfully. Ben smiled and pushed down the visor. He closed the windshield on the aircraft and gave a thumbs up before taking off. 

He quickly traveled to the last known location of the Finalizer surveyed the area. There were still scraps of metal floating around, clear evidence of the battle. Scanning his map, he thought about which systems nearby would be the most easily accessible and First Order friendly. He considered what type of decision Hux would have made and formulated a few options. 

On his second attempt jumping through hyperspace, he picked up a familiar Force signature. He couldn’t see them yet, but they were close. Close enough. Ben sent a request to the Star Destroyer for contact and waited. And waited. 

What was taking so long? Ah, he realized, they were probably debating whether or not this was a trap. Ben steeled himself, knowing that very soon he would have to pretend to be Kylo Ren again. Honestly, he’d almost forgotten how.

Then a call came through, and Ben flicked the switch. 

“Who is this?” came the high-pitched voice that Ben had grown to despise. His lip curled, and thought maybe it wouldn’t be so hard to feign hatred after-all. 

“This is Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren,” Ben said, his voice deepening unconsciously. “Grant me access to board,” he demanded. There was a yelp of acknowledgement, and then silence on the other end of the call. Ben smirked.

“S-Supreme Leader?” asked Hux, unbelievingly. “Where have you been? Give me one good reason not to blow you out of the sky,” he insisted. Ben eyed the numerous guns on the Destroyer, and he felt adrenaline course through his body. 

“You fool! I was detained against my will,” Ben spat with mock anger. “But I escaped with one of their ships. Now open the gate.”

Hux muttered on the other end, apparently believing that Ben couldn’t hear him. Ben allowed it for a few moments and followed his Force signature. He began to make out the Star Destroyer in the distance and grinned. Time for the action to begin. 

“General Hux, for your own sake,” Ben said, resuming his Kylo voice, “stop talking to yourself and OPEN THE BOARDING GATE,” he commanded. He was closing in and keyed the coordinates into his X-WING, ready to send the message. As soon as he pressed that button, the Rebels would jump to his location and end this. 

But first he wanted those shields down, and Hux was being a pain. 

“I find it hard to believe that you were both captured by the rebel scum and also kept alive,” Hux drawled suspiciously. He seemed to think he was safe just because they weren’t on the same ship. Ben felt his fists clench. Fine. 

He raised a hand and focused on Hux’s energy signature. Across the short distance of space, inside the Finalizer, Armitage Hux’s body slammed into the floor, face first. He scrambled up, holding a bloody nose, and looked around in shock. Ben knew that he couldn’t admit to Rey that hurting that smug bastard gave him great satisfaction. 

“I’m tired of playing games, General,” Ben sneered. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Hux got the message, and he gave the order quickly. The shields over the landing entrance went down, and Ben wasted no time hitting the send button. Game over. 

Before he could even count to ten, hundreds of ships warped to their location and Ben moved out of the way with the innate dexterity and piloting skills he could only have received from his joint Skywalker-Solo ancestry. 

They targeted their fire on the area of the ship with lowered shields to start but took no mercy on the rest of the ship. It didn’t take long before the ‘battle’ was over. Ben could hear the hollering and cheering of the rebel pilots in his intercom, but he didn’t care. The only thing that mattered now was getting back to Rey. 

He kicked his X-WING into gear and jumped back to the base. His departure must have been a signal to the rest of the pilots, because they came back within moments of Ben. Most of them ignored him, but as Ben jumped out of his ship, he was greeted with some slaps on the back and words of thanks and encouragement. It was rather strange.

Many of the base came out to meet them outside, and Ben pushed his way through the crowd, searching for her. He could feel that she was ahead, but there were too many people, and somehow, they were already celebrating. Ben shoved his way between two people and froze. 

His eyes locked on Rey’s, and before either of them could think about the many reasons to be careful, they ran forward and grabbed each other, embracing tightly. Ben buried his face in her hair and sighed. She tugged on the back of his shirt and he could feel her hot tears on his chest. 

“Why are you crying?” he asked, pushing her back to get a look at her face. Rey sniffled and beamed at him. 

“I’m just so relieved,” she sighed. “I’m so happy you’re okay.”

Ben wanted desperately to kiss her. Taking her hand, he pulled her inside the compound and opened the first unlocked door he found. He dragged her inside and slammed the door. Rey jumped, her eyes wide. 

“Ben! What are we doing here?” she gasped. Ben moved towards her, but Rey backed up, cheeks flushed. “This is a conference room,” she said defensively. “So whatever you’re thinking, it’s inappropriate…”

Ben scoffed and Rey’s back hit the table, allowing him to catch her. He took her cheeks in his hands and pulled her into a warm, breathless kiss. Rey moaned against her will, and Ben deepened the kiss, sliding his hands down to her shoulders, and then her waist. 

“OH what the FUCK,” came a voice from the doorway. Rey broke the kiss faster than lightning and shoved Ben backwards. They both looked over and saw Poe and Finn staring at them. 

Rey became a mess, stammering a stream of apologies and excuses that Ben didn’t even bother paying attention to. Poe looked shocked but Finn held up a hand, silencing her. 

“Okay, you know what? Because you just effectively ended the war, I’m gonna give you a pass, alright? So maybe, I dunno… LOCK THIS DOOR… and we’ll pretend like this never happened.”

He shot them a look and grabbed a speechless Poe, banging the door behind them. Rey smacked Ben on the arm. 

“I told you!” she yelled, mostly out of embarrassment. Ben shrugged and moved towards the door, locking it with a loud CLICK. Rey’s jaw dropped. “What… what are you doing?” she asked. 

“What we both want,” he suggested, and she gripped her chest defensively. 

“Ben,” she hissed, “not here!”

Ben grinned. “Come on, Rey. Live a little,” he teased. Rey blanked, and before she could protest, he grabbed her hips and hoisted her onto the conference table in front of him. She gripped his shoulders tightly and gasped.

“Are you crazy?!” she protested. “Someone could hear!”

Ben’s grin widened. “That only makes it more fun,” he argued, spreading her thighs and tugging on her shirt. “Come on, Rey, you know you want to,” he whispered as he nestled his body between her legs, his lips brushing against hers. Her own breath hitched, and she gazed at his mouth longingly. 

“Uumm, no,” she said, uncertain. “This is a bad… idea…” 

She faltered as he ran his hand under her shirt and scrunched it up at her chest. For a moment they gazed into each other’s eyes, and then Rey raised her arms, letting him pull off the shirt and toss it over his shoulder. Ben grinned and she huffed. 

“Hey, be careful,” Rey warned. “I don’t have many shirts.”

“Is that really what you’re thinking about right now?” Ben asked in astonishment, hands moving deftly to her wrappings. Rey barely noticed him take them off, and silently noted that he was getting way too good at that. Then he kissed her, palming her chest, and groaned quietly. 

Rey responded in kind, pushing his shirt up, and Ben broke the kiss to discard it as well, flying back to her mouth like a magnet. She gasped and pulled him close, forgetting about her hesitation. Rey twisted her fingers in his hair and Ben impatiently hefted her up, pulling off her remaining clothes. He set her back on the table gently, and stepped back, eyes still fixed on hers. He unbuckled his belt and dropped his pants. 

“This is a bad idea,” Rey muttered again as he moved back in and kissed her, moving from her lips to her neck, surely leaving marks wherever he touched. Ben moaned into her skin and Rey ran her hands down his chest and over his tense muscles. Her touch raised goosebumps all over his body and Ben trembled. 

“When I was flying out there, all I could think about was you,” he whispered into her neck, making her shiver. Ben stroked her nipple with his rough fingers, making her whine and arch her back. He sighed and lowered his face to suck on her breast and she gasped and panted with want. 

“Ben,” she moaned. “I… love… you, ahh—”

Ben couldn’t wait much longer, and he slid a hand between her legs, realizing that she was already slick with desire. He looked into her eyes.

“What’d you say?” he teased. 

“I love you!” she repeated, louder, making Ben glance over his shoulder at the door and smile widely. Rey blushed, remembering where they were. 

“Oh… oh man, Ben, someone is definitely going to hear us,” she whined. 

“Then quiet down,” he said simply. Rey glared. 

“Oh, easy for you to say,” she snapped. Then a wicked look flashed in her eyes, and he felt her hand graze his groin. 

“Rey—,” he said warningly, but it was too late. She spat in her hand and gripped him firmly, causing him to bite his lip hard. He leaned into her hold as she began to work him and quickly wished that he’d listened to her about going to a private room. 

Ben whimpered, and Rey pressed her lips against his ear, hand moving faster and tighter against his length. “Just quiet down, Ben,” she whispered provocatively. Her voice sent a shiver down his spine and Ben bit back a moan. His hips shuddered and he gripped the table with both hands, letting his face rest on her shoulder. 

“Ahhgnn, Rey,” he panted. “Point… taken… I’m… sorry,” he managed. Without warning, she released him, leaving him breathless and remarkably unsatisfied. His cock throbbed from her touch, and he grabbed her hips tightly, jerking her to the edge of the table. 

Rey squealed, her eyes wide and cheeks pink, and Ben stroked her face soothingly before pushing in. She clenched her teeth and grabbed his waist for support as he filled her to the hilt. Ben’s eyes closed and he buried his face in her neck to muffle his cry. This was an angle they hadn’t yet experimented with, and under different circumstances, would probably have been even more fun.

Once he had a measure of self-control, he rested his forehead against hers and began thrusting slowly. Rey’s eyes were closed, her lips parted soundlessly. With every pump, she knotted her brows and sank her fingers into his skin tightly. Her legs draped around him and she trailed her hands up his back and into his hair, tugging lightly.

Her pulls in his hair sent tremors through his already sensitive skin, and Ben quickened his pace, causing her eyes to snap open. He gripped the edge of the table again and rocked against Rey, each thrust vibrating the table and making it scrape against the floor. Rey moaned rather loudly, and Ben covered her lips with his own, stifling her.

“Ahh, Ben…hurry,” she begged. Ben nodded and filled her core repeatedly, turning her body into jelly with every touch. With every moan, he kissed her, and together they rose in a frenzy until they couldn’t handle any more. Ben pumped hard one last time and groaned in pleasure as he felt the familiar burst of gratification wash over him, leaving him weightless and satiated. 

He collapsed into Rey’s arms and his chest heaved as they both caught their breath. Rey stroked his back absently and his skin quivered under her. 

A few hours later at dusk, Ben and Rey sat outside together on a log while a fire burned in front of them. There were rebels everywhere: eating, dancing, celebrating. Most of them were drunk or distracted, and Rey took the opportunity to scoot close to Ben. He took one of her hands and smiled. 

“So,” she began, breaking the silence, “you’re officially free.” Rey played with his hand absently, looking at her lap. “What now?” 

Ben hesitated. “Well, that depends on what you want…” he said, trailing off. Rey met his eyes nervously. They hadn’t talked about after the war yet, and Ben realized his intentions weren’t as clear as he thought. He smiled and kissed her forehead. “I thought you knew,” he muttered.

“I don’t understand,” Rey said, but her expression was hopeful. 

“Yes, you do,” he answered. Rey’s grip on his hand tightened. 

“I need to hear you say it, then,” she countered, and Ben almost laughed. Was she that lacking in confidence? He pulled her into his lap, and Rey looked around nervously. No one was watching, all too busy with their own celebrations. 

“Rey,” Ben said forcefully. “I’m yours.”

Rey’s ears burned and she covered his mouth awkwardly. “No, I take it back. Stop. You’re embarrassing me…” she spluttered. But Ben smiled and moved her hand away. 

“Now that it’s all over,” he admitted, “I thought I could start over… with you by my side…” Rey’s cheeks burned, but her eyes were sparkling. “Is that something you want too?” he asked, already knowing the answer. 

“Is this a proposal?” she asked, her voice quiet. Ben flushed. It hadn’t been, but it could be. Why not? It wasn’t like there was anyone else for him anyway. He recovered quickly and decided to wing it in true Solo spirit. He nodded in affirmation, and Rey clutched his shirt tightly in both hands. 

“If you’ll have me—” he began before she interrupted him with a heavy kiss. She broke his lips apart and explored his mouth with her tongue. Ben tried not to groan, but she had taken him so much by surprise that it was difficult. When they broke apart, Rey kept her face close to his so only he could hear her whispers. “Of course, you idiot. I only want you, Ben Solo. You… complete me.”

Ben smirked. “Who’s being embarrassing now?” he teased, and she smacked him before pulling him into another kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long journey, and I've really enjoyed writing this story. I hope it was fun for you too, and I'd love to hear any thoughts (or suggestions) in a comment! Until the next time 😄


End file.
